KISS ME, I'M IRISH!!!
What is theBlarney Stone?
The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle Tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney). The castle was built in 1446 by Cormac Laidhiv McCarthy (Lord of Muskerry) -- its walls are 18 feet thick (necessary to thwart attacks by Cromwellians and William III's troops). Thousands of tourists a year still visit the castle.
The origins of the Blarney Stone's magical properties aren't clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.
It's tough to reach the stone -- it's between the main castle wall and the parapet. Kissers have to lie on their back and bend backward (and downward), holding iron bars for support. Can you imagine kissing something that has had people's lips all over it for 500 years? Yuck!
What is a Leprechaun?
The name leprechaun is derived from the old Irish word luchorpan which means "little body."
A leprechaun is a fairy taking the appearance of a miniature old man. They are known to live in remote places. Leprechauns are solitary creatures and spend their time making shoes and brogues. If you hear the sound of his hammer when he is at work you know you have found him.
All leprechauns possess a hidden crock of gold. If you are fortunate enough to capture a leprechaun, he might reveal the location of his gold to escape. But, keep your eye on the leprechaun. If you look away, just for a moment, he will vanish.
What is a shamrock?
The shamrock is one of the most popular symbols associated with Saint Patrick's Day. According to legend, St. Patrick used the shamrock in Ireland to explain the Trinity, a basic principle of the Catholic faith. The word shamrock comes from the Gaelic word seamrog, which means "trefoil" or "little clover". The shamrock is the national flower of Ireland (worn on men's hats on St. Patrick's Day). It appears on the coat of arms of Great Britain along with the thistle and the rose, the national flowers of England and Scotland. There is a town named Shamrock in Florida, where people send letters to be postmarked.
Wearing of the Green In America, Saint Patrick's Day is a basically a time to wear green and celebrate. The first American celebration of Saint Patrick's Day was in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1737. As the saying goes, on this day "everybody is Irish!" Over 100 U.S. cities now hold Saint Patrick's Day parades, the largest held in New York City.
Green is associated with Saint Patrick's Day because it is the color of spring, Ireland, and the shamrock
Finding a four-leaf clover (that's double the good luck it usually is).
Wearing green.
(School children have started a little tradition of their own -- they pinch classmates who don't wear green on this holiday).
Kissing the Blarney Stone.
Irish Celebrations
The first Irish celebrations that took place in St. Patrick's honor on the date of his death were noisy affairs in Ireland! The Irish who immigrated to America took the celebration with them....they were not going to forget to remember their Saint Patrick in March!
The second was established in 1780 by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in Philadelphia.
St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in North America since 1737.
It all began when some of the Irish in Boston took to the streets to celebrate the formation of an Irish Charitable Society.... they can now lay claim to being the first parade! Today, St. Patrick's Day boasts of the largest number of ethnic celebrations in North America! New Orleans remembers him with just 2 of the now 122 parades for Ireland's national hero.
The biggest parade, held in New York, originated in 1762 when a group of Irish-born militia on their way to a breakfast celebrating St. Patrick's Day staged an impromptu march through the streets of Colonial New York with their regimental band. They've been marching ever since!
It is not known if March 17 is celebrated because it is the date of St. Patrick's birth or his death. Some claim it is both, others say neither.
1.What is the oldest heraldic symbol of Ireland?
2.A traditional Irish greeting is "Dia's Muitre dhuit." What does it mean?
3.What was the shillelagh originally used for?
4. What is the most common surname in Ireland?
5.What weed is often called "the Irish daisy?"
6. Approximately how many Americans are of Irish descent?
7.What is Ireland's greatest energy source?
8.What modern celebration had its origins in the Druid Festival of Samhain?
9."Black Pool" is another name for which Irish city?
10.What four bodies of water surround Ireland?
11.What is the longest river in Ireland?
12.What state in the United States is the approximate size of Ireland?
13.Who introduced the potato to Ireland?
14.What did St. Patrick first come to Ireland as?
15.How many people fled Ireland during the Famine?
16.Approximately how many people died during the Potato Famine?
17.What percentage of the Irish population have red hair?
18.What river is dyed green each year on March 17?
1. The harp
2. "God and Mary be with you."
3. To teach Irishmen sword fighting when they were not permitted to use swords
4. Murphy
5. The dandelion
6. 40.7 million
7. Peat
8. Halloween
9. Dublin
10. St. George's Channel, the Irish Sea, the North Channel and the Atlantic Ocean
11. Shannon
12. Maine
13. Walter Raleigh
14. Slave
15. 1,000,000
16. 1,000,000
17. About 4%
18. San Antonio River, and the Chicago River
